Melanie McFarland has her finger on the pulse of the television remote. The networks, the premium channels, the great shows you love and the asinine shows the rest of America watches … she knows what's on. If you have a question, e-mail her at tvgal@seattlepi.com.

Before the Sci-Fi Channel made frak a famous part of popular culture, it gave us frell.

If you were one of the people to screamed the latter in misery, or the version of the world used all too frequently on Earh, you’ll be elated to know that on Sunday Sci Fi Channel announced the return of “Farscape” as a live-action series on the Web. The Jim Henson Company is on board to create 10 webisodes; no word on whether the cast has signed on for the ride.

“Farscape” star Ben Browder, last seen in the final days of “Stargate SG-1,” is attached to a six-hour miniseries called “Going Homer,” a modern take on “The Odyssey.” Since he’s already working with Sci Fi, we suspect it won’t be hard to get him to reprise John Crichton one more time, especially since there’s a glimmer of hope that it has a chance of returning now that Sci Fi, we assume, can afford it.

Also from Sci Fi, eight short episodes tied to “Battlestar Galactica: Razor,” a side adventure following Lee Adama shortly after he assumed command of the Pegasus, will air on the cable channel before running on SciFi.com. Each of the mini-eps clock in at under two minutes, and step back in time to show us a younger Bill Adama from his days in the Cylon War.

“Razor” will premiere on Nov. 24, more than a month before the fourth and final season of the series commences.

“Last week Mandy Patinkin asked to be released from his role on “Criminal Minds.” We have honored this request, which was not in any way connected to contract renegotiations or salary issues. His departure from the series will be explained to audiences in an episode to be filmed in the near future and broadcast early next season. We thank Mandy for helping to make “Criminal Minds” a strong and successful series, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors. A new character will be added to the series for next season.”

On behalf of Mandy Patinkin:

“Due to creative differences, Mandy has asked not to return to “Criminal Minds” this season. Mandy would like to thank the studios and network for releasing him from the series and wishes the cast and crew continued success in all of their endeavors, and he looks forward to continuing to work with the Disney and CBS companies in other capacities in the future.”

So, one more episode and that’s it.

Additionally, here’s part of official statement from showrunner Ed Bernero about Patinkin’s departure from an exhaustively detailed fansite.

“Mr. Patinkin has left the show. What’s troubling to us though, is that the reports tend to suggest or hint that the Producers, the Studios or CBS have something to do with what has happened…Let me make this clear: this is not about a contract renegotiation, this is not about money, this is not about something Mr. Patinkin asked for that wasn’t provided — in fact, everyone involved in the show has for two years bent over backward to give him anything he wanted.

“Mr. Patinkin told the show, the studios and the network the he was returning right up to the day before we started shooting the first episode and then simply did not show up. He also has not contacted anyone within the show (producers, cast, crew) to explain why he isn’t returning. Even to this moment, we have no word from him.

“He gave us no advance notice that anything was wrong, no opportunity to find a way to make the loss of this character work, no indication that we should be looking for someone else, no warning that we might have to rewrite the first seven scripts (which is how far ahead we try to work) without the central character in them. None. Zero…He left us completely in the proverbial lurch.”

“…As loyal fans of the show, we think you all deserve an explanation and I wish I had a better one to give you.”

Between this and co-star’s Shemar Moore’s recent overexposure in Hawaii (which we would link to if it didn’t involve full frontal nudity) the CBS series is having one hell of a summer vacation.